At the end of last year, an article appeared on the American portal Stars and Stripes, which publishes information related to the US Army. The article was written by Phillip Walter Wellman and focused on the stay of soldiers from the United States in Bolesławiec.
As the reporter notes in the article, many American military personnel feel that their service in Bolesławiec now, with war having broken out in Ukraine, is more important than before. And that everyone is on heightened alert, even though they are not directly taking part in the fighting.
Phillip W. Wellman also quotes several soldiers stationed at Camp Boles in Bolesławiec. Lieutenant Colonel Rich West, chaplain of the 1st Infantry Division, admits that there are still “many unknowns / much uncertainty.”
The author immediately adds, however, that when it comes to staying in the City of Ceramics, the Americans essentially have no reason to complain. Lieutenant Aldhair Merino admits that he feels safer here than in Romania, where he was previously stationed. And it is reassuring that Bolesławiec offers many attractions.
In August 2022, the division moved its headquarters battalion to Camp Boles, from where it commands most of the American forces in Poland and other countries on NATO’s eastern flank as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The mission began in 2014 in response to Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine and led to more training and exercises among the allies. Most recently, the Winter Strike 22 exercise took place in Bolesławiec, involving the coordination of command procedures for American forces in Poland, Germany and the USA, as well as allied forces from the Baltic countries.
Second Lieutenant Isabella Wells tells P.W. Wellman that the commander of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment invites American soldiers for coffee. And that this strengthens ties. She also says that American soldiers are invited to various social events in the life of the city, building relations between the military and civilians.
Wellman himself adds that US Army soldiers are regular customers at restaurants and bars in the city. (He also emphasizes that alcohol is prohibited at the Polish base.)
The full article can be found on stripes.com.
American soldiers are eager to get involved in the local community, respond to invitations and participate in various events organized in Bolesławiec. Below, we recall an event from December 2022. At that time, during the Bolesławiec Star of Kindness, the commander of the US Army’s 1st Infantry Division, Major General John Meyer, extended Christmas wishes to the residents of Bolesławiec. Later, The Big Red One Band performed a concert on the stage in Bolesławiec’s market square:
